


euphemisms

by helsinkibaby



Category: Magnum P.I. (TV 2018)
Genre: Community: 1-million-words, F/M, Fluff, Het, Romance, post ep, season three
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-04
Updated: 2021-02-04
Packaged: 2021-03-16 10:41:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,651
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29206038
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/helsinkibaby/pseuds/helsinkibaby
Summary: After a long day of hurricane repairs at La Mariana, Kumu corners Noelani for some girl talk.
Relationships: Noelani Cunha/Gordon Katsumoto
Comments: 1
Kudos: 20
Collections: 1 Million Words' A to Z Challenge





	euphemisms

**Author's Note:**

> For the a-z challenge, e is for euphemisms (also eyesex)
> 
> Post ep to 3.05 The Day That Danger Walked In

“Noelani! Come and have a drink with me!” 

Noelani had been all ready to head home - it had been a long day of hurricane repairs at La Mariana - but she couldn’t say no to Kumu. Snagging a beer from Rick’s magically refilling bucket, she made her way across the room and slid into the booth. “Hey, Kumu... nice work on the power saw today!” 

“Thank you.” Kumu looked supremely satisfied, yet at the same time a little miffed. “In spite of Juliet’s best efforts to unseat me, you mean?” 

Noelani hid her smile in her beer bottle. “I heard she really wanted that one.” 

For some reason, a smile that was equal parts delighted and knowing lit up Kumu’s face. “And where did you happen to hear that?” she asked and the penny, possibly the slowest ever, dropped for Noelani, who realised she’d just walked into a trap. “Could it possibly be from Detective Katsumoto?” 

Noelani shook her head. “I don’t know what you mean,” she said and Kumu gave her a look that said plain as day she didn’t believe her for a second. 

“Really? That’s what you’re going with? You’re a terrible liar.” 

Before Noelani could formulate a response, Higgins came over and joined them. “Are you ladies having girl talk without me?”

“Juliet, it’s so good to see you.” Higgins looked taken aback at Noelani’s warm welcome. Noelani couldn’t blame her. “How is Ethan?” 

“He’s fine, she saw him earlier and she’s heading back to the hospital later.” Higgins’s jaw dropped when Kumu didn’t let her answer and the older woman leaned in like she was about to tell a secret, which of course she was. “Sorry for stealing your thunder, Juliet, but Noelani was just about to talk about the eyesex she’s been having all day with Detective Katsumoto.” 

Noelani was very glad Higgins wasn’t drinking at the time because she definitely would have choked. The scandalised way that Higgins said Kumu’s name made Noelani think that maybe this was news to her as well, like the two of them hadn’t been discussing this at Robin’s Nest behind her back. Which she decided to take as a good thing. “I still have no idea what you’re talking about,” Noelani tried again, but Kumu waved her hand dismissively like she was batting away a fly. 

“Oh please. You’ve been looking at him all day like he’s water and you’re dying of thirst.” Noelani abandoned all attempts at drinking her beer, covering her face with her hands instead. “And there’s no need to be embarrassed; it’s not like he hasn’t been doing the same thing.” She leaned in a little closer, dropped her voice. “He was very enamoured of your form with a paintbrush.” 

Noelani knew her cheeks were scarlet but she still couldn’t help herself from glancing across the room to where Gordon was standing talking to TC. The short sleeves of his polo shirt accentuated the muscles in his arms that were usually hidden by his suits and shirts and, without his usual jacket to provide cover, with the tool belt slung low around his waist to provide a neat frame, she’d been distracted by his ass on more than one occasion today. 

“Is this true?” Higgins sounded amazed, her lips curling in a smile. “You and Katsumoto?” 

Noelani pressed her lips together, fought the urge to squirm in her seat. Deciding that denial wasn’t an option, she admitted, “It’s new,” and that was as far as she got before Kumu tutted. 

“Not that new.” Off Noelani’s surprised look, she continued, “I can tell you exactly when it started. The wedding that wasn’t, am I right?” She knew she was and Noelani felt her jaw drop. “He took one look at you in that bridesmaid’s dress and that was it.” 

Which was pretty much exactly what had happened. Noelani inclined her head in acknowledgment. “Yes,” she said and Kumu looked delighted. “On all counts.” 

“Is it serious?” Juliet looked just as happy as Kumu did, probably because it meant that something good had come out of the whole fiasco that was her aborted wedding to TC. 

Noelani shrugged her shoulders. “We’re taking things slow,” she said. “With everything going on in the world, with work, his son...”

“It’s a lot.” Juliet was thoughtful as her eyes wandered across the room too. Which gave Noelani an excuse to look across and see that Magnum and Rick had joined the conversation. “I get that.” She blinked, turning her attention back to Noelani. “But I’m really happy for you both... Gordon is a good man.” 

Noelani glanced across in his direction, saw that he had his back to her. Her eyes wandered, as they had been doing all day, and it was hard to pull her attention back to the two other women but she did it, saw them smirking - there really was no other word for it - at her. “He is,” she said. 

It was Kumu who had the last word. “With a very nice tool belt,” she said, her smile wicked and knowing. 

Noelani’s jaw dropped again, Juliet’s doing the exact same thing. 

Then the three of them burst out laughing. 

*

A sudden burst of female laughter across the room had Katsumoto turning his head sharply to see what was so funny. Nothing immediately presented itself, not to the naked eye anyway. Just Kumu, Higgins and Noelani sitting together, laughing over who knew what. 

But Katsumoto read people for a living so he very quickly noticed how the other two women were looking at Noelani who was looking down, her pink cheeks visible from clear across the room. 

That sent his radar straight up. 

“What’s that all about?” Characteristically, it was Magnum who asked the question but before Katsumoto could say anything, Rick spoke up. 

“Trust me, you don’t want to know.” 

He said it with such conviction that all three other men looked at him in varying degrees of challenge. “And how would you know that?” TC asked. 

“Yeah, you got some insider knowledge you’re not telling us?”

Rick didn’t rise to Magnum’s bait. “I’ve been bartending a long time,” he said flatly. “So believe me when I say, three women, in a bar, laughing like that? No man should hear what they’re saying. Unless you have soap ready to wash out their mouths.” He gave an exaggerated shudder for effect. At least Katsumoto thought it was exaggerated. 

“Seriously?” Magnum’s voice had gone up about half an octave. “I mean, Higgins I could believe but Kumu? No way.” 

“And Noelani?” TC sounded so convinced of Noelani’s innocence that it was all Katsumoto could do to keep a straight face. He’d seen - or rather heard - a different side to the woman. And, he had to admit, he’d enjoyed every second. “I ain’t buying it.” 

“I’m telling you.” Rick held up his hands. “Right now, those three women are using language that would make a navvy blush. But if you don’t believe me, feel free to go over.” 

Their bluff called, the other men turned their attention elsewhere. Katsumoto, though, took one more look and when his gaze met Noelani’s and Kumu and Higgins seemed to find it hilarious, he figured that Rick was on the right track. 

Confirmation of that came when he was at his car later on, packing away his tool belt. He’d just closed the trunk when he heard footsteps approaching him, heard Noelani’s smiling, “Detective Katsumoto.” 

“Doctor Cunha.” He kept his greeting brief, professional, just in case anyone was watching. 

Noelani looked pointedly at his car. “You’re heading home?”

He nodded. “Although I have picked up another case.” 

Her face fell, just a little, in disappointment. In fact, anyone else probably wouldn’t even have noticed. “You did?” 

He nodded again. “Turns out Magnum wants to know what you ladies found so funny earlier. Rick maintains he’s better off not knowing in case the language scars him for life.” He kept his face perfectly straight as Noelani looked down and bit her lip. “Care to comment?” 

“Yeah...” Noelani looked up at him through her eyelashes. “Kumu made us.” He wasn’t surprised in the least. He’d already guessed what the conversation was about and if anyone had been going to figure them out, his money would have been on Kumu. Didn’t matter that Magnum was a great detective, didn’t matter that Higgins used to trade in secrets for a living. Kumu’s read on people put them both to shame. 

“And you couldn’t lie to her.” 

She must have heard from his voice that he wasn’t mad. “Would there be a point?” It was a perfectly reasonable question and he tilted his head in acknowledgment. “Apparently, she noticed you admiring my form with a paintbrush?” 

In truth, he had stolen more than his fair share of glances. He’d just thought he’d been subtle. “It is a very nice form,” he said, letting his eyes trail down her body. This time, there was nothing subtle about it. 

Her grin, however, was positively impish. “And Kumu was admiring your tool belt.” 

Katsumoto blinked. “Is that a euphemism?” He narrowed his eyes as he considered that. “Because if it is, I’m pretty sure I’m scarred for life.” 

Noelani’s laugh was music to his ears. “Oh, it was definitely a euphemism.” She beamed. “It was mentioned in the context of all the eyesex we were having in there.” 

“Eyesex?” He hadn’t known Kumu knew that particular phrase. Noelani nodded, eyes sparkling, and he took a step towards her, fully aware they were in public, fully not caring. “I prefer the real thing personally.” 

“Really?” She drew the word out, putting at least a dozen extra syllables into it. “Maybe we should do something about that.” She was standing very close to him suddenly. “Your place or mine?” 

Katsumoto didn’t blink. “Yours is closer.” 

Neither did she. “Then I’ll see you there.”


End file.
